Kate Middleton Considering Hypnobirth to Deliver Her Royal Baby

As she prepares for the arrival of her first child, supposedly Kate Middleton is considering hypnobirth as a means of delivering. According to sources who talked to Grazia, "Kate has researched various birthing methods. She wants it to be natural, so hypnobirthing is one option that appealed and she has been reading up on it and listening to CDs to get into the right frame of mind. Some of her friends have used this method and swear by it. Kate wants to do it her way and to be relaxed."

Wow. Hypnobirthing, huh? What exactly is hypnobirthing?

I've heard of a lot of delivery methods, but not that one.

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If Kate does decide to go this route, she will give birth in a pool of water, but will use hypnosis techniques to help get her through the labor and delivery process instead of resorting to drugs or an epidural. (Brave gal.)

And I guess we shouldn't be all that surprised that Kate is looking into it, because she also reportedly used hypnosis to help her overcome her acute morning sickness during the early stages of her pregnancy.

But if for some reason she decides a hypnobirth isn't the right plan, there are some other options she can research as far as natural births go.

The Bradley Method -- This one would get Prince William involved in the process, since husband-coached births are a major part of it. The word on the street is that Wills plans on being in the delivery room, so this may be a valid option for him and Kate. The Bradley Method teaches couples how the body works during labor, and gives them techniques for how to work with their bodies to reduce pain.

Lamaze -- Who hasn't heard of this one? Lamaze breathing techniques have been used during natural labors and deliveries for years. And Lamaze also has recommendations for other healthy birth practices besides the "hoo-hoo-hee" we all recognize.

The Alexander Technique-- This method teaches laboring women to sit and squat the right way and to use gravity to her advantage as the baby is coming. She will also learn not to tense up her body during painful contractions.

Water Birth -- Yep, Kate can always just have a regular old water birth without the hypnosis part. Water is calming, helps relieve pain, and also helps moms feel more in control during labor and delivery.